Here is a short list of fundraising resources and grant opportunities that apply to FIRST teams & coaches (for FIRST and other STEM activities!). Please be sure to read through all the details and requirements prior to applying — not all teams will be eligible for all grants! 

Don’t forget to checkout the great resources provided by FIRST headquarters here: https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/fundraising-toolkit.

If you know of other grant opportunities or if you are interested in setting up a grant/scholarship/internship opportunity for Alaska’s FIRST participants and teams, please contact us at firstak@jedc.org or 907-523-2334.

FIRST in Alaska Raffle

Our teams have the opportunity to participate in a raffle coordinated by JEDC. Tickets are $10 each with $5 of every ticket sold going directly to the team that sold it. The remainder of the revenue, less all expenses will come to JEDC to support the robotics programs statewide.  

This year’s prizes include 2 round trip AK Air tickets and an Alaska 529 Scholarship. 
 
Important Dates:
• September – Coaches can begin requesting raffle tickets.
• November – Early deadline for teams to return raffle proceeds and stubs to JEDC (payment back to teams in January).
• February – FINAL deadline for teams to return raffle proceeds and stubs to JEDC (payment back to teams by April).
• March – RAFFLE DRAWING held at JEDC office in Juneau. 
 
Congrats to our 2023 winners!
  • 1st Prize – Two (2) Alaska Airlines Round-Trip Tickets: Jessica Jagelski
  • 2nd Prize – Alaska 529 $2,000 Scholarship Account: John Thiele

FIRST LEGO League – General

Most of our grant funding does not become available until summer/fall and is reserved for first-year teams that would not be able to participate in FIRST LEGO League without financial support. Priority is given to Title I schools and/or teams that are reaching underrepresented/underserved populations. Most grants cover the $250 FLL registration fee.

Applying is easy and must be done PRIOR to registering your team! Just submit a brief explanation (< 200 words) about why your team needs financial support to firstak@jedc.org and put GRANT as the subject of the email.  

Grants are awarded on a rolling basis as funds are available. Please apply as soon as possible.  

FIRST Tech Challenge Team Grants

FIRST Tech Challenge is again offering our rookie teams access to our FIRST Tech Challenge Rookie Grant! Generously supported by the DEKA Foundation, FIRST offers a $275 registration grant and $225 product grant to all eligible teams. The grant information is included on the FIRST Tech Challenge Grants webpage: https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc/grants. Teams can apply for the 2022-2023 Rookie Grant in the fall of 2022.

Toshiba Education Grants

Separate grants for grades K-5 and grants for Grades 6-12 (requests >$5,000 due by August 1) – Toshiba America Foundation accepts applications from teachers who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students. Fits FIRST coaches if you ask me! (http://www.toshiba.com/taf/index.jsp)

Toyota TAPESTRY Grants 

Administered by the National Science Teachers Association, Toyota TAPESTRY is the largest K-12 science grant program of its kind in the United States. Each year, the program awards 50 large grants of up to $10,000 each and at least 20 mini-grants of up to $2,500 each—an annual total of $550,000. Over the past 16 years, Toyota TAPESTRY has awarded more than $7 million in grants to 826 teams of teachers. (http://tapestry.nsta.org/)

Other sites to check out

LEGO Education’s suggested grants – https://education.lego.com/en-us/grants-and-funding